St. Lucie County Public Schools

Chapter 4.0 Curriculum and Instruction

The Curriculum 4.10+
(1) The District curriculum shall be determined by
(a) Students’ needs and interests as determined by studies, assessments and surveys;
(b) Continuous evaluation of curriculum effectiveness;
(c) Florida Statutes, State Board of Education rules, and the School Board;
(d) Florida Department of Education-developed and School Board-approved Florida curriculum frameworks, Sunshine State Standards, Benchmarks, and Grade Level Expectations.
(2) The Superintendent may appoint such committees and special study groups as may be necessary to assist in determining the educational needs of the District.
(3) The Superintendent shall designate an appropriate staff member who is responsible for the development and coordination of the total curriculum of the District.
(4) The program of instruction can be found in the Student Progression Plan. A student’s progression from one grade to another shall be determined, in part, upon proficiency in reading, writing, science, and mathematics.
(5) The responsibility and right of an instructional staff member to present information of a controversial nature is hereby recognized. The teacher shall not present controversial material or issues which are not directly or closely related to the subject area being taught. In presenting controversial materials on an issue, the teacher shall present all sides of the question without bias or prejudice and shall permit each student to arrive at his or her own conclusions.
(6) A course description shall be presented for School Board approval before any course or unit in the objective study of the Bible or a comparative study of religion, as provided in Florida Statutes, is initiated in any school. The description shall detail the purpose of the course, the materials to be used, grade level, length of the course, and credit value. No teacher shall present or permit to be presented any material which ridicules any religious sect, belief, or faith.
(7) Prior to initiating any course or unit of instruction in human growth and development, a course outline and complete description shall be presented for School Board approval. This rule does not preclude the teaching of personal cleanliness in health and physical education classes or in the elementary grades, or the teaching of matters relating to sex education as provided in state-adopted textbooks, or information relating to sex education as required in other courses using duly-adopted textbooks and materials.
(8) It shall be the responsibility of the school to make students aware of the dangers and consequences of sexually transmitted diseases. The manner, scope, and levels at which this information will be presented shall be determined by the Superintendent or designee in consultation with instructional supervisors and principal(s). Prior to initiating any such unit of instruction, the proposed program, the materials to be used, and other essential information shall be presented to the School Board for approval. When any questionable information is to be viewed by mixed groups, the sexes may be separated for presentation of materials.
(9) Current, factual, age-appropriate information about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, and other sexually transmitted diseases shall be taught. Instruction shall address causes, transmission, and prevention and shall be approved by the School Board.
(10) The Superintendent or designee shall review curriculum frameworks which are prepared and distributed by the Florida Department of Education and related to AIDS education. If the curriculum frameworks are inconsistent with locally determined curriculum for AIDS education or are not reflective of local values and concerns, the Superintendent shall advise the School Board and provide recommendations for instructional activities.
(11) Any student whose parent or guardian makes written request to the school principal shall be exempted from the teaching of reproductive health or disease, including HIV/AIDS, its symptoms, development, and treatment. A student so exempted may not be penalized by reason of that exemption.
(12) In compliance with Florida Statute, throughout instruction in Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, sexually transmitted diseases, or health education, when such instruction and course material contains instruction in human sexuality, a school shall do the following:
(a) Teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard for all school-age children while teaching the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage.
(b) Emphasize that abstinence from sexual activity is an absolute way to avoid pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, including Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and other associated health problems.
(c) Teach that each student has the power to control personal behavior and encourage students to base actions on reasoning, self-esteem, and respect for others.
(d) Provide instruction and material that is appropriate for the grade and age of the student.
(13) When dealing with political issues, the positions of all parties will be presented on a non-partisan basis. Partisan political literature will not be distributed in schools. However, schools may give out information relating to school district taxes or the need for construction bonds.

(14) All course materials and verbal or visual instruction shall conform to the requisites and intent of all Florida law and the State Constitution. All instructional materials, including teachers’ manuals, films, tapes, or other supplementary instructional material, shall be available for inspection by parents or guardians of the children engaged in such classes.
(15) The Superintendent or designee shall develop procedures to assure all aspects of curriculum development are implemented.